Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that short limited duration tenancies or limited duration tenancies will be in place for the Martinmas term in November.

Ross Finnie: Implementation of Part 1 of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003, which introduces the new short limited duration tenancies and limited duration tenancies, will be informed by the outcome of the current consultation about the content of the order which needs to be made under the act to introduce the new forms of tenancy. We will lay an order before Parliament as soon as practicable thereafter, with the aim of bringing these provisions into force by the Martinmas date of 28 November.

Asylum Seekers

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what differences there are between its responsibilities with regard to the education of school-age children at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre and its responsibilities with regard to the education of other temporary residents in Scotland, such as children of military personnel or travelling people.

Peter Peacock: Responsibility for the education of school-age children at Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre lies with Home Office ministers, who are continuing to discuss with the Scottish Executive and South Lanarkshire Council how to take forward the recommendations of the reports by HMCIP and HMIE on the education and welfare services for children in Dungavel.

  The exact nature of the responsibilities of the Scottish Executive in relation to the education of other temporarily resident children will depend upon whether they are educated in local authority schools, in independent schools or at home.

Better Neighbourhood Services Fund

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to monitor spending by local authorities from the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund.

Ms Margaret Curran: Twelve local authorities have been allocated Better Neighbourhoods Services Funding (BNSF) over the period 2001-04 on the basis of Local Outcome Agreements (LOAs). These LOAs detail outcome objectives and what will be funded through BNSF. Funding in years two and three requires satisfactory progress against the LOA. From 2002-03, the BNSF Annual Report which authorities provide to the Executive requires a statement of expenditure to date on a project by project basis.

Common Agricultural Policy

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the National Farmers Union Scotland regarding the single farm payment, proposed as part of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP); which ministers are directly involved in the negotiations on the reform, and whether ministers will attend the proposed regional meeting in autumn 2003.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has held pre-consultation meetings with a wide-range of stakeholders - including the National Farmers Union Scotland - on implementation of the CAP reform agreement and the consultation process.

  The council regulation which covers the key aspects of CAP reform is expected to be agreed at the agriculture council on 29 September. I am planning to attend.

  The formal consultation on implementation of the reform in Scotland will be launched at a stakeholder conference on 6 October 2003, at which I intend to deliver the keynote address. A series of regional meetings are planned for November 2003; the details of which are yet to be finalised.

Common Agricultural Policy

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made on the provision of national envelopes as part of the process of decoupling under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), with particular regard to the protection of certain types of production in remote areas.

Ross Finnie: The agreement on CAP reform reached in June 2003 will introduce a new system of support to farmers whereby payments will be decoupled from production. The agreement also provides some key flexibilities in how the new system will be implemented, including a provision for national envelopes.

  The agreement states that national envelopes can be granted for specific types of farming which are important for the protection or enhancement of the environment or for improving the quality and marketing of agricultural products. The detailed conditions of use are still to be defined by the European Commission through implementing regulations.

  Decisions on the use of the national envelope provision in Scotland will be based on the outcome of a consultation process on the optional elements of the agreement. The consultation will be launched in October and will last three months. It will seek views on the use of the provision for national envelopes, and the other main options for implementation. No decisions will be taken until the consultation process is complete.

Dentistry

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) NHS dentists and (b) NHS dental practices there currently are in (i) Scotland, (ii) each constituency, and (iii) each NHS board area.

Mr Tom McCabe: The number of NHS general dental practitioners and NHS general dental practice currently in Scotland, each constituency and each NHS board area is shown in the following tables:

  Number of NHS General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) in Scotland and Each Constituency; August 2003

  


Constituency 
  

No. of NHS GDPs1,2




Aberdeen Central 
  

70 
  



Aberdeen North 
  

17 
  



Aberdeen South 
  

12 
  



Airdrie and Shotts 
  

23 
  



Angus 
  

40 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

26 
  



Ayr 
  

45 
  



Banff and Buchan 
  

21 
  



Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 
  

15 
  



Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley 
  

15 
  



Central Fife 
  

31 
  



Clydebank and Milngavie 
  

30 
  



Clydesdale 
  

30 
  



Coatbridge and Chryston 
  

31 
  



Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 
  

27 
  



Cunninghame North 
  

30 
  



Cunninghame South 
  

27 
  



Dumbarton 
  

33 
  



Dumfries 
  

27 
  



Dundee East 
  

32 
  



Dundee West 
  

52 
  



Dunfermline East 
  

29 
  



Dunfermline West 
  

32 
  



East Kilbride 
  

43 
  



East Lothian 
  

30 
  



Eastwood 
  

47 
  



Edinburgh Central 
  

55 
  



Edinburgh East and Musselburgh 
  

36 
  



Edinburgh North and Leith 
  

79 
  



Edinburgh Pentlands 
  

24 
  



Edinburgh South 
  

58 
  



Edinburgh West 
  

46 
  



Falkirk East 
  

24 
  



Falkirk West 
  

30 
  



Galloway and Upper Nithsdale 
  

17 
  



Glasgow Anniesland 
  

25 
  



Glasgow Baillieston 
  

16 
  



Glasgow Cathcart 
  

31 
  



Glasgow Govan 
  

57 
  



Glasgow Kelvin 
  

76 
  



Glasgow Maryhill 
  

41 
  



Glasgow Pollock 
  

21 
  



Glasgow Rutherglen 
  

27 
  



Glasgow Shettleston 
  

35 
  



Glasgow Springburn 
  

35 
  



Gordon 
  

21 
  



Greenock and Inverclyde 
  

24 
  



Hamilton North and Bellshill 
  

47 
  



Hamilton South 
  

22 
  



Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber 
  

52 
  



Kilmarnock and Loudoun 
  

34 
  



Kirkcaldy 
  

37 
  



Linlithgow 
  

38 
  



Livingston 
  

40 
  



Midlothian 
  

18 
  



Moray 
  

24 
  



Motherwell and Wishaw 
  

31 
  



North East Fife 
  

28 
  



North Tayside 
  

42 
  



Ochil 
  

25 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

10 
  



Paisley North 
  

41 
  



Paisley South 
  

52 
  



Perth 
  

44 
  



Ross, Skye and Inverness West 
  

23 
  



Roxburgh and Berwickshire 
  

27 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

12 
  



Stirling 
  

41 
  



Strathkelvin and Bearsden 
  

43 
  



Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale 
  

27 
  



West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 
  

26 
  



West Renfrewshire 
  

25 
  



Western Isles 
  

11 
  



Scotland 
  

2,1542




  Number of NHS General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) in Scotland and Each NHS Board Area; August 2003

  


NHS Board Area 
  

No. of NHS GDPs1,2




Ayrshire and Arran 
  

139 
  



Borders 
  

45 
  



Argyll and Clyde 
  

189 
  



Fife 
  

146 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

453 
  



Highland 
  

83 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

230 
  



Grampian 
  

183 
  



Orkney 
  

10 
  



Lothian 
  

399 
  



Tayside 
  

187 
  



Forth Valley 
  

109 
  



Western Isles 
  

11 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

44 
  



Shetland 
  

12 
  



Scotland 
  

2,1542




  Number of NHS General Dental Practices in Scotland and Each Constituency; August 2003

  


Constituency 
  

No. of NHS General Dental Practices3




Aberdeen Central 
  

22 
  



Aberdeen North 
  

6 
  



Aberdeen South 
  

5 
  



Airdrie and Shotts 
  

11 
  



Angus 
  

13 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

11 
  



Ayr 
  

22 
  



Banff and Buchan 
  

10 
  



Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 
  

10 
  



Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley 
  

9 
  



Central Fife 
  

14 
  



Clydebank and Milngavie 
  

11 
  



Clydesdale 
  

13 
  



Coatbridge and Chryston 
  

12 
  



Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 
  

7 
  



Cunninghame North 
  

14 
  



Cunninghame South 
  

9 
  



Dumbarton 
  

12 
  



Dumfries 
  

16 
  



Dundee East 
  

15 
  



Dundee West 
  

21 
  



Dunfermline East 
  

8 
  



Dunfermline West 
  

13 
  



East Kilbride 
  

15 
  



East Lothian 
  

14 
  



Eastwood 
  

20 
  



Edinburgh Central 
  

22 
  



Edinburgh East and Musselburgh 
  

11 
  



Edinburgh North and Leith 
  

25 
  



Edinburgh Pentlands 
  

12 
  



Edinburgh South 
  

22 
  



Edinburgh West 
  

16 
  



Falkirk East 
  

8 
  



Falkirk West 
  

10 
  



Galloway and Upper Nithsdale 
  

12 
  



Glasgow Anniesland 
  

9 
  



Glasgow Baillieston 
  

9 
  



Glasgow Cathcart 
  

12 
  



Glasgow Govan 
  

23 
  



Glasgow Kelvin 
  

28 
  



Glasgow Maryhill 
  

17 
  



Glasgow Pollock 
  

9 
  



Glasgow Rutherglen 
  

11 
  



Glasgow Shettleston 
  

14 
  



Glasgow Springburn 
  

15 
  



Gordon 
  

9 
  



Greenock and Inverclyde 
  

10 
  



Hamilton North and Bellshill 
  

14 
  



Hamilton South 
  

9 
  



Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber 
  

28 
  



Kilmarnock and Loudoun 
  

14 
  



Kirkcaldy 
  

10 
  



Linlithgow 
  

13 
  



Livingston 
  

14 
  



Midlothian 
  

9 
  



Moray 
  

8 
  



Motherwell and Wishaw 
  

12 
  



North East Fife 
  

11 
  



North Tayside 
  

13 
  



Ochil 
  

12 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

5 
  



Paisley North 
  

10 
  



Paisley South 
  

16 
  



Perth 
  

21 
  



Ross, Skye and Inverness West 
  

14 
  



Roxburgh and Berwickshire 
  

12 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

9 
  



Stirling 
  

18 
  



Strathkelvin and Bearsden 
  

19 
  



Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale 
  

10 
  



West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 
  

10 
  



West Renfrewshire 
  

12 
  



Western Isles 
  

5 
  



Scotland 
  

965 
  



  Number of NHS General Dental Practices in Scotland and Each NHS Board Area; August 2003

  


NHS board area 
  

No. of NHS General Dental Practices3




Ayrshire and Arran 
  

68 
  



Borders 
  

19 
  



Argyll and Clyde 
  

75 
  



Fife 
  

57 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

198 
  



Highland 
  

51 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

88 
  



Grampian 
  

70 
  



Orkney 
  

5 
  



Lothian 
  

161 
  



Tayside 
  

85 
  



Forth Valley 
  

46 
  



Western Isles 
  

5 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

28 
  



Shetland 
  

9 
  



Scotland 
  

965 
  



  Source: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System).

  Notes

  1. The number of NHS general dental practitioners in post (not whole-time equivalent number, as working hours of each NHS general dental practitioner are not collected centrally). Includes all general dental practitioners (principals, assistants, vocational trainees and salaried dentists) providing NHS general dental services; excludes NHS dentists working in the Community Dental Service and the Hospital Dental Service.

  2. The sum of the number of NHS general dental practitioners in each constituency/NHS board area exceeds the number practising in Scotland: an NHS general dental practitioner may be counted more than once if he/she provides general dental services from more than one practice within a PCT/NHS board, or provides general dental services in more than one PCT/NHS board area.

  3. An NHS general dental practice is a practice where at least one dentist within the practice provides NHS general dental services.

Education

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) its total budget and (b) its total budget for education has been allocated to (i) higher education, (ii) further education, (iii) vocational education, (iv) community education, (v) primary education and (vi) secondary education for each of the next three financial years.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) its total budget and (b) its total budget for education was allocated to (i) higher education (ii) further education, (iii) vocational education, (iv) community education, (v) primary education and (vi) secondary education in each of the last five financial years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The figures requested are not held centrally.

  Primary, Secondary and Community Education Budgets

  These are funded mainly through local authorities and the vast majority of resources provided to local authorities for education are paid through revenue support grant, which is largely unhypothecated. It is up to each authority how it allocates these resources to meet its local needs and priorities. Details of how much each authority has received in the five previous years can be found in the local government finance circulars 9/1998, 4/1999, 4/2000, 3/2001, and 7/2002 (Bib. numbers 29138, 29139, 23428, 20316, and 26111 respectively). Finance circular 1/2003 (Bib. numbers 26534) contains authorities' allocations for the next three forward years.

  Details of how much each authority has spent on education services can be found in the CIPFA Rating Review publications. The most recent year available is 2001-02 (Bib. numbers 17055) though prior years are also available. A copy of the local government finance circulars and CIPFA publication can be obtained from the Parliaments Reference Centre by quoting the relevant Bib. number.

  Higher, Further and Vocational Education Budgets

  Budgetary provision which has been provided to the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and the Scottish Further Education Council can be found in their annual reports. These are available on their websites at the following links:

  http://www.shefc.ac.uk

  http://www.sfefc.ac.uk

  Vocational education is not a specific budget classification and therefore absolute figures do not exist. However, higher and further education budgets can be found in Scotlands budget documents. These documents can be found on the Scottish Executives website at www.scotland.gov.uk/publications and contain information up to and including the draft budget 2004-05, which also shows spending plans for the financial year 2005-06.

Education

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the optimum roll for pupil numbers in secondary schools is.

Peter Peacock: The number of pupils on school rolls is influenced by various factors which will differ for particular schools. Schools operate effectively with rolls of varying sizes. The Scottish Executive does not specify what the optimum roll of any category of school should be.

Education

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out regarding the relationship between pupil rolls in secondary schools and the number of exclusions and behavioural referrals.

Peter Peacock: There has been no research conducted looking specifically at the relationship between pupil rolls in secondary schools and the number of exclusions and behavioural referrals.

  Executive research in this area has focussed on number of exclusions at education authority level, the characteristics of those excluded and local policy on exclusions.

Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils Records) Act 2002

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will issue guidance or regulations to local authorities under the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils Records) Act 2002 that will make pupil records available to parents.

Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1692 on 18 August 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Energy

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its projection is for the likely demand for electricity by 2020 as a percentage of the 2003 demand.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is currently in the process of commissioning a study into energy supply and use in Scotland to inform the development of an integrated strategy for demand-side management and renewable generation.

Energy

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated average daily production is per kilowatt of electricity of the installed capacity of devices designed to harness (a) wind, (b) wave, (c) tidal and (d) solar energy.

Lewis Macdonald: This information is not held centrally.

Environment

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list agricultural areas affected by environmental measures related to Nitrate Vulnerable Zones; how many tenant farms will be affected, and whether any compensation will be made available to landowners, tenant farmers and adjoining non-commercial neighbours.

Ross Finnie: Four Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) have been designated in Scotland: Aberdeenshire, Banff, Buchan and Moray; Strathmore and Fife; Lothian and Borders, and Lower Nithsdale. They amount to 14.3% of the land area of Scotland. An estimated 12,000 farms are affected; information is not currently available on the type of tenure. Guidance has been sent to all occupiers of agricultural land within the parishes affected by the NVZ designation in Scotland. No compensation is payable, but farmers in NVZs may be eligible for grants of up to 40% towards the cost of slurry storage under the proposed NVZ Grants Scheme consulted on this summer.

Fertility Treatment

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements have been made to the management of the delivery of infertility services since 2001 to ensure equity of access to such services and treatment throughout Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer provided to S1W-24927 on 7 May 2002, which sets out how far NHS boards had implemented the recommendations of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services in Scotland (EAGISS) at that time. The Executive will be conducting a further review shortly.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that fishing vessels that have successfully applied for decommissioning settle their debts with offshore businesses.

Ross Finnie: The question of settling any outstanding payment for goods or services is a matter between the parties involved. Civil remedies are available, if necessary, to address any difficulties that may arise in that context. It would not be appropriate for the Executive to intervene in such matters.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which onshore businesses have benefited from the support package announced for fishing communities earlier this year and how much aid has been granted to (a) fish processors and (b) other fishing-related onshore businesses.

Mr Andy Kerr: In addition to Transitional Aid support for the catching sector, the 2000-06 Financial Instrument on Fisheries Guidance programmes makes some 30 million available for fishing related onshore businesses. Businesses who have benefited within the processing sector are:

  


Company 
  

Location 
  

Grant Awarded 
  



Farne Salmon and Trout 
  

Duns 
  

  66,850.00 
  



Scofish Limited 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 110,173.00 
  



Glenmar Shellfish 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 119,860.00 
  



Scot Trout Limited 
  

Bellshill 
  

  7,900.00 
  



Gourmet's Choice 
  

Portsoy 
  

 75,480.00 
  



Lunar Freezing and Cold Storage 
  

Peterhead 
  

 301,419.00 
  



R R Spink and Sons 
  

Arbroath 
  

 36,200.00 
  



Trawlpac Seafoods 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 132,121.00 
  



J Smith 
  

Sandend 
  

  7,253.00 
  



J H Milne 
  

Peterhead 
  

  32,172.00 
  



International Fish Canners 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 245,700.00 
  



Whitelink Seafoods 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 45,936.00 
  



Scottish Fishermen's Harvest 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 169,248.00 
  



Pelagic Freezing Limited 
  

Peterhead 
  

 425,769.00 
  



Couper Seafoods Limited 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 24,220.00 
  



Fresh Catch Limited 
  

Peterhead 
  

 418,214.00 
  



Moray Seafoods Limited 
  

Buckie 
  

 134,453.00 
  



Caley Fisheries 
  

Peterhead 
  

 50,734.00 
  



Iceberg Limited 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 92,245.00 
  



Fisher Foods 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 198,630.00 
  



Macrae Foods 
  

Peterhead 
  

 71,718.00 
  



Scottish Shellfish Marketing Group 
  

Bellshill 
  

 87,043.00 
  



Burgon Eyemouth 
  

Eyemouth 
  

 12,366.00 
  



Scot Trout Limited 
  

Bellshill 
  

 31,500.00 
  



Castle Maclellan 
  

Kirkcudbright 
  

 65,736.00 
  



Scot Trout Limited 
  

Bellshill 
  

 15,087.00 
  



Nor Sea Foods 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 30,854.00 
  



Nor Sea Foods 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 35,612.00 
  



J R Masson 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 3,435.00 
  



Lossie Seafoods Limited 
  

Moray 
  

 92,951.00 
  



Anglo Nordic Processing Limited 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 70,238.00 
  



Fisher Foods 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 317,681.00 
  



Pelagic Freezing Limited 
  

Peterhead 
  

 458,567.00 
  



John Ross JR (Aberdeen) Ltd 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 141,497.00 
  



Macrae Foods 
  

Edinburgh 
  

 85,966.00 
  



Cavaghan and Gray 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 305,147.00 
  



Shrimp Peelers (Scotland) Ltd. 
  

Peterhead 
  

 111,836.00 
  



Fresh Catch Limited 
  

Peterhead 
  

 413,693.00 
  



Whitelink Seafoods 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 130,777.00 
  



Scot Trout Limited 
  

Bellshill 
  

 278,200.00 
  



International Fish Canners 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 69,210.00 
  



Nor Sea Foods Limited 
  

Bridge of Don 
  

 43,330.00 
  



Scot Trout Ltd 
  

Bellshill 
  

 10,000.00 
  



RR Spink and Sons 
  

Arbroath 
  

 6,388.00 
  



Pelagic Freezing Limited 
  

Peterhead 
  

 449,672.00 
  



RR Spink and Sons 
  

Arbroath 
  

 7,348.00 
  



Alexander Buchan Limited 
  

Peterhead 
  

 106,535.00 
  



Lunar Freezing and Cold Storage 
  

Peterhead 
  

 341,183.00 
  



Laeso Fish Limited 
  

Peterhead 
  

 103,338.00 
  



Fresh Catch Limited 
  

Peterhead 
  

 427,860.00 
  



Prime Seafoods Limited 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 35,266.00 
  



Cumbrae Oysters Ltd 
  

Howwood 
  

 985.00 
  



Young's Bluecrest Seafoods Ltd 
  

Annan 
  

 141,878.00 
  



Pelagic Freezing Limited 
  

Peterhead 
  

 250,341.00 
  



Solway Seafoods Ltd 
  

Bladnoch 
  

 45,000.00 
  



Macrae Foods 
  

Edinburgh 
  

 93,344.00 
  



Caley Fisheries 
  

Peterhead 
  

 13,087.00 
  



A. Christie Jnr Ltd Aberdeen 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 31,644.00 
  



Farne Salmon and Trout 
  

Duns 
  

 42,849.00 
  



R R Spink and Sons 
  

Arbroath 
  

 19,271.00 
  



Cally Seafoods Limited 
  

Newton Stewart 
  

 17,600.00 
  



Couper Seafoods Limited 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 14,131.00 
  



C.K I. Seafoods Limited 
  

Eyemouth 
  

 108,354.00 
  



Scofish Limited 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 173,609.00 
  



Farne Salmon and Trout 
  

Duns 
  

 73,547.00 
  



Unkles Seafoods Limited 
  

Troon 
  

 39,695.00 
  



Peter Duthie (C Shells) Ltd 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

 146,806.00 
  



Claymore Shellfish Limited 
  

Inverurie 
  

 63,089.00 
  



John Law Frozen Seafoods Ltd 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 47,262.00 
  



Thistle Seafoods Ltd 
  

Peterhead 
  

 170,814.00 
  



Galloway Seafoods Ltd 
  

Newton Stewart 
  

 32,017.00 
  



Belhaven Trout Company 
  

Dunbar 
  

 23,940.00 
  



Joseph Robertson (Aberdeen) Ltd 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 332,984.00 
  



Pelagic Freezing (Scotland) Ltd 
  

Peterhead 
  

 321,064.00 
  



Cavaghan and Gray (Aberdeen) 
  

Aberdeen 
  

 234,460.00 
  



George Downie 
  

Banff 
  

 36,500.00 
  



Marine Products (Scotland) Ltd 
  

Glasgow 
  

 44,200.00 
  



Caledonia Seafoods Ltd 
  

Peterhead 
  

 64,025.00 
  



J H Milne Ltd 
  

Peterhead 
  

 99,413.00 
  



Alexander Buchan Limited 
  

Peterhead 
  

 50,584.00 
  



Anstruther Fish Processors 
  

Anstruther 
  

 34,499.00 
  



Loch Fyne Oyster 
  

Cairndow 
  

 164,000.00 
  



Orkney Salmon 
  

Kirkwall 
  

 257,719.00 
  



Demlane Limited 
  

Walls 
  

 71,044.00 
  



Live Langoustine Co Ltd 
  

North Uist 
  

 82,201.00 
  



Strathaird Salmon Limited 
  

Inverness 
  

 351,529.00 
  



Blue Shell Marine 
  

Brae 
  

 29,670.00 
  



Norkot Limited 
  

Lochinver 
  

 32,635.00 
  



Sco-Fro (Lochaber) Ltd 
  

Fort William 
  

 31,070.00 
  



Westray Processors Ltd 
  

Westray 
  

 21,834.00 
  



Alpine Cold Stores Ltd 
  

Inverness 
  

 185,330.00 
  



Norscot Seafoods Limited 
  

Kinlochbervie 
  

 37,043.00 
  



N and H Prentice 
  

Tarbert 
  

 53,122.00 
  



Shetland Catch Ltd 
  

Lerwick 
  

 218,698.00 
  



Orkney Fishermans Society Ltd 
  

Stromness 
  

 114,877.00 
  



D. Watt (Shetland) Ltd 
  

Scalloway 
  

 130,102.00 
  



Strathaird Salmon Limited 
  

Inverness 
  

 362,782.00 
  



Norman McKay 
  

Wick 
  

 31,100.00 
  



Aqua Farm Ltd 
  

Northmavine 
  

 86,739.00 
  



Hebridean Smokehouse 
  

North Uist 
  

 280,782.00 
  



Orkney Herring Company 
  

Kirkwall 
  

 553,518.00 
  



Scottish Seafarms 
  

Bixter 
  

 453,875.00 
  



Orkney Fishermans Society 
  

Stromness 
  

 14,249.00 
  



Northmavine Shellfish 
  

Hillswick 
  

 14,360.00 
  



Andy Race Fishmerchants Limited 
  

Mallaig 
  

 9,500.00 
  



Daniel's Sweet Herring Ltd 
  

Nairn 
  

 1,450.00 
  



Mac Mussels Ltd 
  

Unst 
  

 69,663.00 
  



Scrabster Seafoods 
  

Scrabster 
  

 507,363.00 
  



Uist Fish Marketing Ltd 
  

North Uist 
  

 12,000.00 
  


 

Total 
  

  13,999,858.00 
  



  Businesses in other fishing related sectors who have benefited are:

  


Business Name 
  

Location 
  

Total Aid Awarded 
  



Machrihanish Marine Farm 
  

Machrihanish 
  

364,902.00 
  



Aquascot Ltd 
  

Sites in Argyll and Bute 
  

322,262.00 
  



West Coast Oysters 
  

Oban 
  

10,890.00 
  



Shian Fisheries Ltd 
  

Oban 
  

63,810.00 
  



Cloan Hatcheries Ltd 
  

Perthshire 
  

88,595.00 
  



Kames Fish Farming Ltd 
  

Oban 
  

83,330.00 
  



Torhouse Trout Ltd 
  

Newton Stewart 
  

13,760.00 
  



Invicta Trout Ltd 
  

Callander 
  

10,459.00 
  



Skerries Salmon 
  

Out Skerries, Shetland 
  

243,312.00 
  



Westray Salmon 
  

Westray 
  

31,245.00 
  



Muckairn Mussels Ltd 
  

Connel 
  

119,400.00 
  



Tobermory Fish Company 
  

Tobermory 
  

17,093.00 
  



Loch Fyne Oysters Limited 
  

Cairndow 
  

130,446.00 
  



Balta Island Seafare Ltd 
  

Unst, Sheltand 
  

16,880.00 
  



Papil Salmon Farm Limited 
  

Burra Isle, Shetland 
  

186,305.00 
  



Muckairn Mussels Ltd 
  

Connel 
  

21,224.00 
  



Cro Lax Ltd 
  

North Papa, Sheltand 
  

205,734.00 
  



G and J Archibald 
  

Gruinart, Isle of Islay 
  

103,150.00 
  



Forera Ltd 
  

Loch Etive and Ardfern 
  

113,645.00 
  



Caspian Shellfish 
  

An Druim, Loch Eriboll 
  

47,300.00 
  



Port Mor Shellfish 
  

Port Mor, Loch Etive 
  

7,880.00 
  



C and A Thomason Ltd 
  

Yell 
  

94,186.00 
  



Cloan Hatcheries Ltd 
  

Blairgowrie. Perthshire 
  

59,935.00 
  



Johnson Shellfish Ltd 
  

Shetland (3 Sites) 
  

164,842.00 
  



Subsea Shellfish Farms Ltd 
  

Lynn of Lorne, Argyll 
  

90,639.00 
  



Shetland Halibut Company Ltd 
  

Aiths Voe, Bressay, Shetland 
  

175,404.00 
  



Lakeland Marine Farm Ltd 
  

Ardifuir, Outer Loch Craignish, Argyll 
  

148,632.00 
  



Creran Oysters 
  

South Ardnaclach Farm, Nr Appin, Argyll 
  

22,449.00 
  



Hoove Salmon Limited 
  

Yell 
  

149,100.00 
  



Landcatch Limited 
  

Lochgilphead 
  

650,000.00 
  



Aquascot Ltd 
  

Dunoon 
  

136,772.00 
  



Isle of Mull Oysters 
  

Isle of Mull 
  

21,064.00 
  



Bressay Salmon Ltd 
  

Lerwick 
  

105,180.00 
  



Demlane Ltd 
  

Walls, Shetland 
  

89,613.00 
  



Cadderlie Mussels 
  

Taynuilt 
  

132,855.00 
  



Ronas Voe Shellfish 
  

Ronas Voe, Shetland 
  

10,738.00 
  



Ayre Salmon Ltd 
  

Shetland 
  

168,625.00 
  



Inverlussa Shellfish 
  

Craignure, Isle of Mull 
  

60,615.00 
  



Nufish Limited 
  

Broonies Taing, Sandwick, Shetland 
  

444,607.00 
  



Kinloch Damph Ltd 
  

Strathcarron 
  

216,500.00 
  



C and S Mussels 
  

Yell 
  

98,000.00 
  



Unst Shellfish 
  

Unst 
  

100,400.00 
  



Sea Fish Industry Authority 
  

Pan Britain 
  

758,850.00 
  



Sea Fish Industry Authority 
  

Pan Britain 
  

731,900.00 
  



Sea Fish Industry Authority 
  

Edinburgh 
  

31,680.00 
  



Shetland Salmon Farmers Association 
  

Shetland 
  

150,000.00 
  



Sea Fish Industry Authority 
  

Edinburgh 
  

276,763.00 
  



Sea Fish Industry Authority 
  

Pan Britain 
  

14,700.00 
  



Crusader Fishing Company Ltd. 
  

Peterhead 
  

139,235.00 
  



Sea Fish Industry Authority 
  

Edinburgh 
  

36,000.00 
  



Highland Shellfish Management Organisation 
  

Throughout Highlands 
  

140,000.00 
  



MFV Glenugie Partnership 
  

Peterhead 
  

51,999.00 
  



Alison Kay Fishing Company 
  

Scalloway 
  

76,949.00 
  



Shetlland Seafood Auctions Limited 
  

Lerwick 
  

177,736.00 
  



Lynne May Fisheries 
  

Peterhead 
  

52,470.00 
  



Vela Ltd 
  

Peterhead 
  

40,128.00 
  



Seafood Scotland 
  

Across Scotland 
  

135,200.00 
  



Seafood Scotland 
  

Across Scotland 
  

27,820.00 
  



Seafood Scotland 
  

Across Scotland 
  

315,800.00 
  



Seafood Scotland 
  

Across Scotland 
  

3,125.00 
  



Port Auction Services 
  

Lochinver 
  

79,873.11 
  



Scottish Quality Salmon Ltd 
  

Highlands 
  

360,000.00 
  



Mallaig Boatbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd 
  

Mallaig 
  

26,460.83 
  



Peterhead Harbour Trustees 
  

Peterhead 
  

3,445.00 
  



Unity Fishing Company Limited 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

43,477.00 
  



Aberdeenshire Council 
  

Gourdon 
  

42,075.00 
  



Stornoway Pier and Harbour Commission 
  

Stornoway 
  

52,360.00 
  



Orkney Islands Council 
  

7 sites in Orkney 
  

35,000.00 
  



Net Services Shetland Ltd 
  

Scalloway, Shetland 
  

20,606.00 
  



Dunbar Harbour Trust 
  

Dunbar 
  

8,685.00 
  



Fraserburgh Harbour Commissioners 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

200,000.00 
  



Gundrys Shetland Ltd 
  

Scalloway 
  

147,926.00 
  



Peterhead Net Company 
  

Peterhead 
  

28,949.00 
  



Scrabster Harbour Trust 
  

Scrabster 
  

107,366.00 
  



Hotrod welding and fabrication services 
  

Mallaig 
  

9,485.00 
  



Peterhead Harbours 
  

Peterhead 
  

19,172.00 
  



ORGENZ LTD 
  

Peterhead 
  

436,590.00 
  



Mallaig Electronic Fish Auctions Ltd 
  

Mallaig 
  

82,909.00 
  



Alfred Cheyne Engineering Ltd 
  

Banff 
  

33,175.00 
  



Faithlie Ice Company Ltd 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

6,300.00 
  



Grimsay Boatshed Trust 
  

Grimsay, North Uist 
  

220,000.00 
  



Portnaven Boatyard 
  

Portnaven 
  

31,150.00 
  



Scott Shepherd M B Aquarius 
  

Banff 
  

3,200.00 
  



STEWART BUCHAN JR 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

1,854.00 
  



Stephen Ritchie and Partner MFV Falcon AI2111 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

2,432.00 
  



Adam Sutherland Innes MFV Mizpah 
  

Buckie 
  

1,820.00 
  



Andrew Harrison and Son - MFV Atlas 
  

Campbeltown 
  

3,788.00 
  



Eschol Enterprises 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

6,000.00 
  



Alert Fishing Partnership 
  

Peterhead 
  

47,797.00 
  



John Buchan Jnr MFV Sparkling Star 
  

Peterhead 
  

15,235.00 
  



Ivan Goodlad - MFV "Shannon" 
  

Lerwick 
  

3,440.00 
  



Leslie Hughson MFV Fairway 
  

Skerries, Shetland 
  

1,600.00 
  



D and H Stewart 
  

Kallin North Uist 
  

4,935.00 
  



James Cowie and Partners MFV Ocean Quest 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

1,740.00 
  



William Reid and Partners MFV Apollo 
  

Kinlochbervie 
  

3,904.00 
  



Mr S Ritchie and Partner MFV Phoenix 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

2,346.00 
  



Harvest Fishing Company Ltd 
  

Peterhead 
  

7,800.00 
  



Alexander McLean and Partners 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

1,298.00 
  



Arkh Angell Kirkwall Ltd 
  

Kirkwall 
  

15,385.00 
  



Keila Fishing Company Ltd 
  

Westray 
  

5,000.00 
  



Stephen J Todd 
  

Eyemouth 
  

3,520.00 
  



John Buchan and Partners 
  

Peterhead 
  

9,930.00 
  



John Stephen and Partners 
  

Peterhead 
  

7,680.00 
  



Brian Stephen and Partners 
  

Peterhead 
  

7,680.00 
  



Walter Robertson and Partners 
  

Scalloway 
  

5,520.00 
  



Alison Kay Fishing Co Ltd 
  

Scalloway 
  

18,676.00 
  



Iain T Harcus and Partners 
  

Kirkwall 
  

47,660.00 
  



David W Milne and Partners 
  

Peterhead 
  

13,985.00 
  



Harvest Fishing Company Ltd 
  

Peterhead 
  

9,850.00 
  



Summer Isles Fishing Co Ltd - MFV Challenge II UL33 
  
 

34,370.00 
  



John D Ritchie and Partner 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

1,264.00 
  



C and T Finn T/A Gleaner 
  

Campbeltown 
  

38,996.00 
  



Stuart Kay, M/V Auriga LK902 
  

Lerwick 
  

27,742.00 
  



John William Johnson 
  

Lerwick 
  

5,960.00 
  



A J Ritchie MFV Convallaria VI 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

13,108.00 
  



MFV Glenugie limited liability partnership 
  

Peterhead 
  

14,330.00 
  



George Jack 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

1,640.00 
  



George West and Partners 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

24,860.00 
  



Stephen Ritchie MFV Phoenix 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

400.00 
  



A and N Kenning MFV Contest 
  

Mallaig 
  

6,704.00 
  



James Duthie 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

4,510.00 
  



Mr G Nicol MFV Krossfjord 
  

Fraserburgh 
  

28,662.28 
  



Malcolm M and Murdo MacLeod 
  

Isle of Lewis 
  

15,419.00 
  



Ross Skinner 
  

Lochinver 
  

15,010.00 
  



Iain Thomas Harcus 
  

Kirkwall 
  

4,690.00 
  



R and M Norquoy 
  

Kirkwall 
  

6,080.00 
  



The Sea Fish Indusrty Authority 
  

Edinburgh 
  

16,000.00 
  



John Bowman MFV Unity 
  

Cellardyke 
  

4,200.00 
  



Scotsprime Seafoods Ltd 
  

Aberdeen 
  

56,290.00 
  



John Buchan MFV Fairline 
  

Peterhead 
  

9,966.00 
  



Torhouse Trout Ltd 
  

Dumfries and Galloway 
  

34,925.00 
  



The Organic Fish Producers' Association 
  

Alness 
  

34,682.00 
  



Sea Fish Industry Authority 
  

Argyll 
  

68,928.00 
  



Subsea Shellfish Farms Ltd 
  

Linn of Lorne, Argyll 
  

175,404.00 
  



Sea Scot Ltd 
  

Broadford 
  

76,500.00 
  



Tobermory Oysters 
  

Tobermory 
  

46,594.00 
  



The Sea Fish Industry Authority 
  

Lowland Scotland 
  

26,000.00 
  



Seafood Scotland 
  

Pan Scotland 
  

4,800.00 
  



Seafood Scotland 
  

Pan Scotland 
  

18,855.00 
  



Seafood Scotland 
  

Pan Scotland 
  

11,200.00 
  



Seafood Scotland 
  

Pan Scotland 
  

51,335.00 
  


 

Total 
  

11,630,636.22 
  



  Information regarding the amount of rates relief granted by local authorities to the onshore infrastructure servicing the fishing sector will be provided to the Scottish Executive by the end of November 2003.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it has issued to NHS boards on the provision of support for those suffering from trauma and their carers; how many staff currently provide post-trauma support to sufferers and their families, broken down by NHS board, and whether it plans to provide a level of support equivalent to that provided in England.

Malcolm Chisholm: Guidance on the provision of mental health services is contained in the Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland  which we published in 1997. It is for NHS boards, working within the framework ,  to determine their own service needs for post-trauma support, including support for specific conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. NHS boards provide support and treatment for post traumatic conditions across a wide range of clinical disciplines and as part of their general mental health services. Information is not held centrally about the number of staff providing these services in each board area.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in including pre-hospital treatment assessment of height, weight and blood pressure by community pharmacists in the proposed contract revision for community pharmacy.

Mr Tom McCabe: Discussions on the new contract are currently on-going with the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council. Decisions on the content and range of services to be provided have yet to be made.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of radiologists working in the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: There has been a 9% increase   in consultant radiologist staff in post between 1997 and 2002. The Scottish Executive are committed to improving the feeder route to the consultant radiologist grade. There was an increase of 24 training places from April 2001 to April 2003, with a further six places planned by April 2004.

  The Scottish Executive is adopting an integrated approach to workforce planning and development at local, regional and national levels and is investing 1.200,000 annually for three years, beginning in 2003-04, to help develop more effective workforce development arrangements across NHS Scotland. These arrangements will help deliver on the Scottish Executives commitment to increasing the capacity of the NHSScotland workforce, including in specific specialities, such as radiology.

  Work is under way on modernising medical careers aimed at improving the training and career path for doctors in training and also on initiatives to assist in the recruitment and retention of medical staff, through "The Temple Review", due to report later this year. This is a short-life working group commissioned in autumn 2002 to undertake a review of the career structures for all hospital doctors from Pre-Registration House Officer to consultant or principal in general practice, as an integral part of the wider health care workforce.

  The findings of this group will inform work currently on-going and any subsequent work in the specific area of medical workforce planning, including the development of professional roles across the whole health care team in radiology and other specialties.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what pilot studies it will promote to reduce the number of non-attendances at hospital and GP appointments.

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which schemes operated by NHS boards to reduce the number of non-attendances at hospital and GP appointments have been effective.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive believes that the best way to reduce the number of patients who fail to attend NHS appointments is through more effective and timely communications with patients and more streamlined access to services. The white paper Partnership for Care  sets out plans for a programme of service redesign that will support these objectives. As regards hospital appointments, I recently launched the Out-patient Project, which includes piloting new arrangements for booking out-patient appointments. The ratio of non-attendance at clinics covered by the pilots will be monitored.

  As regards GP appointments, the Executive has invested 30,000,000 in the modernisation programme to increase capacity and improve access. A further 7.6 million is being invested over the next three years through the advanced access programme, which aims to provide patients with same-day access appointments.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage of non-attendance at hospital and GP appointments was for each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on patients who did not attend their NHS appointment is available for first out-patient appointments only. Information about non-attendance for GP appointments is not collected centrally. The percentage of patients who did not attend their first out-patient appointment, in each NHS board area in the last three years, is given in the table.

  NHSScotland: Percentage of Patients that Did Not Attend their First Out-patient Appointment, by NHS Board Area of Residence, in the Years Ended 30 June 2001, 30 June 2002 And 30 June 2003P.

  


NHS Board 
  

Percentage 
  



Year Ended
30 June 2001 
  

Year Ended
30 June 2002 
  

Year Ended
30 June 2003P




Argyll and Clyde 
  

11.7% 
  

12.5% 
  

13.4% 
  



Ayrshire and Arran 
  

10.8% 
  

11.5% 
  

11.6% 
  



Borders 
  

6.0% 
  

6.5% 
  

6.7% 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

7.1% 
  

7.2% 
  

6.9% 
  



Fife 
  

10.1% 
  

10.2% 
  

9.3% 
  



Forth Valley 
  

9.8% 
  

10.3% 
  

10.3% 
  



Grampian 
  

8.9% 
  

9.0% 
  

8.8% 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

15.3% 
  

16.9% 
  

17.1% 
  



Highland 
  

7.1% 
  

7.0% 
  

7.2% 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

13.0% 
  

14.2% 
  

14.0% 
  



Lothian 
  

11.6% 
  

11.2% 
  

11.3% 
  



Orkney 
  

5.3% 
  

5.6% 
  

6.4% 
  



Shetland 
  

4.4% 
  

3.6% 
  

4.1% 
  



Tayside 
  

10.3% 
  

10.5% 
  

9.8% 
  



Western Isles 
  

8.0% 
  

8.3% 
  

9.2% 
  



Scotland 
  

11.5% 
  

12.0% 
  

12.1% 
  



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

  PProvisional.

Health

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in promoting earlier and better diagnosis of endometriosis since the publication of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidelines in July 2000.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG) guidelines on endometriosis have been brought to the attention of health professionals through the Royal College's clinical networks in gynaecology, general practice and other health professions. Advice in the guidelines is also included in postgraduate training in gynaecology and for general practice. Ensuring good practice in diagnosis is a matter for clinical governance arrangements.

Health

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what advances have been made in the improvement of services for individuals suffering from chronic enduring conditions.

Malcolm Chisholm: Progress is being made across a wide front, and includes:

  progressive implementation of the Scottish Diabetes Framework, which was published in April 2002.

  the development of Managed Clinical Networks for epilepsy.

  with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations, the new General Medical Services contract framework which links GP remuneration to prescribed standards (including disease registers) for the management of, among other conditions, coronary heart disease (CHD), diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), epilepsy and asthma.

  the introduction of Personal Medical Services pilots, focussing on the management of chronic conditions especially CHD, asthma, COPD, the effects of stroke and mental health.

  single shared assessment through joint working, joint management, joint/shared budgets and sharing of appropriate information in older peoples services. We hope to include other care services soon.

  commissioning an independent review of chronic pain services.

  publication of the report of the Executives Short Life Working Group on CFS/ME, which makes recommendations to NHS boards on the improvement of services.

Hedges

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12936 by Mr Jim Wallace on 31 January 2001, whether it plans to introduce legislation in this parliamentary session on high hedges.

Mr Andy Kerr: It has not been possible to include a bill on high hedges in the Executives legislative programme for this parliamentary session.

  However, Scott Barrie MSP has submitted a bill proposal to provide local authorities with the power to deal with complaints regarding high hedges. We have had some initial discussions with Mr Barrie and the Executive supports in principle the introduction of legislation on this matter.

Housing

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public sector houses were sold as a percentage of the total (a) housing and (b) public sector housing stock in each year since 1979 and how these figures compare with the number and percentage of such sales in England and Wales.

Ms Margaret Curran: The following table (Table 1) shows figures for right to buy, rent to mortgage and voluntary sales of public sector dwellings, all of which were made under the right to buy legislation. This includes dwellings owned by local authorities, Scottish Homes and New Towns (when in existence). All years shown refer to calendar years.

  Data on right to buy sales in Scotland are published in the quarterly trends housing series statistical bulletin, which is available in the Parliaments Reference Centre or through the Scottish Executive website. These data can also be accessed through the Housing Statistics reference site in the data library section (website address: www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/housing/hsbref).

  Table 1

  Sales in Scotland Under Right to Buy Legislation of Local Authority, New Town and Scottish Homes Stock: 1979-2002

  


Year 
  

Number of Sales 
  

Sales as % of Total Dwelling Stock 
  

Sales as % of Public Sector Dwelling Stock 
  



1979 
  

1,018 
  

0.05 
  

0.10 
  



1980 
  

5,913 
  

0.30 
  

0.57 
  



1981 
  

10,545 
  

0.54 
  

1.01 
  



1982 
  

14,235 
  

0.72 
  

1.38 
  



1983 
  

17,877 
  

0.89 
  

1.77 
  



1984 
  

16,519 
  

0.82 
  

1.65 
  



1985 
  

14,925 
  

0.73 
  

1.51 
  



1986 
  

13,992 
  

0.68 
  

1.42 
  



1987 
  

18,988 
  

0.92 
  

1.96 
  



1988 
  

31,591 
  

1.52 
  

3.33 
  



1989 
  

38,943 
  

1.85 
  

4.28 
  



1990 
  

32,968 
  

1.55 
  

3.79 
  



1991 
  

23,007 
  

1.07 
  

2.75 
  



1992 
  

24,031 
  

1.10 
  

2.98 
  



1993 
  

20,062 
  

0.91 
  

2.59 
  



1994 
  

21,239 
  

0.96 
  

2.90 
  



1995 
  

16,680 
  

0.75 
  

2.33 
  



1996 
  

12,621 
  

0.56 
  

1.85 
  



1997 
  

16,526 
  

0.73 
  

2.54 
  



1998 
  

14,105 
  

0.62 
  

2.26 
  



1999 
  

13,315 
  

0.58 
  

2.31 
  



2000 
  

13,981 
  

0.60 
  

2.45 
  



2001 
  

13,169 
  

0.56 
  

2.38 
  



2002 
  

15,880 
  

0.68 
  

2.99 
  



  Source: Development Department Analytical Services Division (Housing Statistics).

  Comparative figures for England and Wales are shown in Tables 2 and 3. These are adapted from UK Housing Review 2002-03 (Wilcox, 2002). All stock figures are as at December of year shown. Local authority stock includes New Town stock when in existence.

  Table 2

  Sales in England Under Right to Buy Legislation of Local Authority and New Town Stock: 1980-2001

  


Year 
  

Number of Sales 
  

Sales as % of Dwelling Stock 
  

Sales as % of Public Sector Dwelling Stock 
  



1980-85 
  

518,490 
  

- 
  

- 
  



1986 
  

74,323 
  

0.39 
  

1.65 
  



1987 
  

84,799 
  

0.44 
  

1.93 
  



1988 
  

129,657 
  

0.67 
  

3.05 
  



1989 
  

141,054 
  

0.72 
  

3.46 
  



1990 
  

93,360 
  

0.48 
  

2.37 
  



1991 
  

51,591 
  

0.26 
  

1.34 
  



1992 
  

41,611 
  

0.21 
  

1.10 
  



1993 
  

41,368 
  

0.21 
  

1.12 
  



1994 
  

45,044 
  

0.22 
  

1.25 
  



1995 
  

33,961 
  

0.17 
  

0.97 
  



1996 
  

31,781 
  

0.15 
  

0.93 
  



1997 
  

39,875 
  

0.19 
  

1.20 
  



1998 
  

39,846 
  

0.19 
  

1.24 
  



1999 
  

50,435 
  

0.24 
  

1.65 
  



2000 
  

53,962 
  

0.26 
  

1.89 
  



2001 
  

50,421 
  

- 
  

- 
  



  Table 3

  Sales in Wales Under Right to Buy Legislation of Local Authority and New Town Stock: 1980-2001

  


Year 
  

Number of Sales 
  

Sales as % of Dwelling Stock 
  

Sales as % of Public Sector Dwelling Stock 
  



1980-85 
  

44,317 
  

- 
  

- 
  



1986 
  

5,335 
  

0.47 
  

2.07 
  



1987 
  

5,541 
  

0.48 
  

2.19 
  



1988 
  

9,433 
  

0.81 
  

3.87 
  



1989 
  

12,526 
  

1.06 
  

5.40 
  



1990 
  

6,331 
  

0.54 
  

2.80 
  



1991 
  

3,402 
  

0.29 
  

1.55 
  



1992 
  

2,748 
  

0.23 
  

1.28 
  



1993 
  

2,750 
  

0.23 
  

1.30 
  



1994 
  

3,033 
  

0.25 
  

1.44 
  



1995 
  

2,291 
  

0.19 
  

1.11 
  



1996 
  

2,020 
  

0.16 
  

0.99 
  



1997 
  

2,562 
  

0.21 
  

1.27 
  



1998 
  

2,499 
  

0.20 
  

1.24 
  



1999 
  

3,357 
  

0.27 
  

1.70 
  



2000 
  

3,359 
  

0.26 
  

1.75 
  



2001 
  

3,215 
  

- 
  

-

Housing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses have been built in each of the last five years.

Ms Margaret Curran: The following table shows the number of dwellings completed in Scotland for 1998-2002.

  

 

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Dwellings Completed in Scotland 
  

19,566 
  

22,654 
  

23,469 
  

23,088 
  

22,665 
  



  Source: Quarterly trends housing series statistical bulletin HSG/2003/5. This is available in the Parliaments Reference Centre and in the publications section of the Scottish Executive website.

Justice

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) Supervised Attendance Orders and (b) Community Service Orders have been completed in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Hugh Henry: Figures for completed orders are available since 1999 for Community Service Orders (CSOs) and since 2001 for Supervised Attendance Orders (SAOs). The breakdown by local authority area is given in the following table:

  


Local Authority



CSOs 
  

SAOs 
  



1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  

2001-02 
  

2000-01 
  

2001-02 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

116 
  

117 
  

111 
  

66 
  

42 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

52 
  

54 
  

35 
  

29 
  

23 
  



Angus 
  

69 
  

55 
  

61 
  

122 
  

111 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

26 
  

25 
  

51 
  

4 
  

8 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

28 
  

31 
  

34 
  

25 
  

11 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

71 
  

69 
  

83 
  

41 
  

49 
  



Dundee City 
  

154 
  

145 
  

101 
  

147 
  

95 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

87 
  

84 
  

135 
  

72 
  

205 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

44 
  

30 
  

29 
  

0 
  

3 
  



East Lothian 
  

52 
  

47 
  

62 
  

8 
  

4 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

30 
  

38 
  

22 
  

4 
  

7 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

289 
  

270 
  

302 
  

53 
  

70 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

13 
  

9 
  

12 
  

0 
  

0 
  



Falkirk 
  

46 
  

48 
  

43 
  

84 
  

89 
  



Fife 
  

54 
  

119 
  

115 
  

57 
  

51 
  



Glasgow City 
  

654 
  

475 
  

533 
  

164 
  

163 
  



Highland 
  

130 
  

121 
  

134 
  

49 
  

54 
  



Inverclyde 
  

51 
  

64 
  

53 
  

43 
  

49 
  



Midlothian 
  

50 
  

44 
  

53 
  

5 
  

4 
  



Moray 
  

36 
  

19 
  

18 
  

7 
  

9 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

54 
  

64 
  

78 
  

21 
  

47 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

211 
  

188 
  

165 
  

44 
  

28 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

5 
  

8 
  

4 
  

0 
  

0 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

36 
  

31 
  

33 
  

104 
  

121 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

162 
  

85 
  

89 
  

6 
  

42 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

19 
  

45 
  

51 
  

55 
  

30 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

8 
  

2 
  

4 
  

3 
  

1 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

60 
  

54 
  

58 
  

80 
  

141 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

44 
  

72 
  

113 
  

23 
  

55 
  



Stirling 
  

38 
  

21 
  

24 
  

63 
  

65 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

67 
  

55 
  

52 
  

22 
  

30 
  



West Lothian 
  

70 
  

21 
  

60 
  

17 
  

40 
  



Total 
  

2,826 
  

2,510 
  

2,718 
  

1,418 
  

1,647

Justice

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time was for completion of an (a) Supervised Attendance Order and (b) Community Service Order in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Hugh Henry: Information on the average time for completion of Community Service Orders (CSOs) and Supervised Attendance Orders (SAOs) is not held within the Executive. Audit Scotland collect information on average hours and average hours completed per week for CSOs completed during the year. Data for 2000-01 and 2001-02 was published in the pamphlet "Performance Indicators: Housing and Social Work" in January 2003. This pamphlet is available in the Parliaments Reference Centre and on Audit Scotlands website.

Justice

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority has received to undertake (a) Supervised Attendance Orders and (b) Community Service Orders in each year since 1997.

Hugh Henry: I have arranged for the information on the allocations which, from 1999-2000 (2000-01 in the case of Supervised Attendance Orders) have been based on historical workloads and a range of needs factors, to be placed in the Parliaments Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 29177 and 29178).

Justice

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will remove any threat of defamation action against a young person who reports a concern to an appropriate authority where that authority takes no action against the person about whose conduct the complaint is made; whether legislation will be required to achieve this, and, if so, what legislative process it will use.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive takes child protection very seriously and is committed to protecting children and young people from all forms of abuse. We have made firm commitments to improving child protection services in Scotland through a programme of reform over the next three years.

  At the same time, we have a responsibility to individuals who may be accused falsely and maliciously of abuse. To remove wholly the threat of a defamation action by giving young people absolute privilege, for example could raise issues under the European Convention on Human Rights since it would impact upon the rights of a potentially defamed person.

  At present, a person who reports concerns to an appropriate authority because they have a moral or social duty to do so will benefit from the protection of qualified privilege. Qualified privilege will protect a person from a claim of defamation unless it can be proved that the person making the defamatory statement was motivated by malice.

  Our view is that any underlying concerns in this area are best addressed through guidelines on the handling of situations in which young people allege abuse, rather than by attempting to reconcile the divergent interests of accused and accuser through amendments to defamation law.

Justice

David McLetchie (Edinburgh Pentlands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each of the last six years have committed an offence during the period of remission after being released from jail due to early release conditions, broken down by category of offence.

Cathy Jamieson: Information at this level of detail is not held centrally.

Livestock

Mr Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its online application form for the Suckler Cow Premium Scheme is available in a text format that is universally accessible.

Ross Finnie: The Suckler Cow Premium Scheme claim form is published in PDF format on the Scottish Executive website. It can be read or printed off by any operating system or Internet Browser using Adobe Acrobat software.

  The interactive version of the claim form is available to producers or their agents with access to SEERAD Online. To complete and submit the form electronically they require a PC with a Windows operating system (version 98 or above) and Windows Internet Explorer (version 5.1 or later).

Livestock

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the National Farmers Union Scotland on possible changes to the Over Thirty Months scheme for cattle and what conclusions have been reached.

Ross Finnie: There have been a number of meetings and written exchanges with the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) regarding the Food Standards Agencys (FSA) review of the Over Thirty Months (OTM) rule and its likely impact on the Over Thirty Months Scheme (OTMS) and the market. The NFUS are also represented on a DEFRA stakeholder group set up to discuss the market impact of change to the OTMS. The response of health ministers to the FSA recommendations on the OTM rule is still awaited but we have made it clear that it is important, for the industry and consumers, that the necessary procedures and support measures are in place before any change is introduced.

Livestock

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total payment from the Extensification Premium Scheme (a) was for 2002-03 and (b) has been for the current financial year and how many farmers are currently awaiting payment from the scheme.

Ross Finnie: The Extensification Payment Scheme runs on a calendar year basis (1 January to 31 December inclusive). Payments begin as soon as possible after 1 April the following year. The total extensification payments made between 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003 were:

  Extensification Payment Scheme 2000: 32,933

  Extensification Payment Scheme 2001: 35,652,352

  The total extensification payments made from 1 April 2003 to date were:

  Extensification Payment Scheme 2000: 5,719

  Extensification Payment Scheme 2001: 67,012

  Extensification Payment Scheme 2002: 32,608,895

  Nine hundred and forty-one claimants have not received any payment. Their eligibility for payment is currently being assessed. Not all will be eligible.

Livestock

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to be able to announce progress on the disposal of fallen stock and what consideration it has given to the impact of such disposal on public health.

Ross Finnie: The EU Animal By-Products Regulation No 1774/2002 generally bans the routine on-farm burning and burial of fallen stock in all member states but provides for a derogation in certain circumstances.

  Following extensive consultations with the industry and negotiations with the other UK departments, it was announced on 24 July that a UK-wide fallen stock collection and disposal scheme would be set up. Officials are currently involved in detailed discussions of the scheme, with a view to it commencing in January 2004.

  As announced on 9 September, the Animal By Products (Scotland) Regulations 2003 will come into effect on 1 October 2003. These regulations provide a derogation enabling farmers and crofters in most of the Highlands and Islands to continue on-farm disposal. This must be done responsibly and in a manner which takes account of environmental and public health legislation.

Medical Research

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to promote comprehensive medical research into endometriosis.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. The CSO responds to research applications rather than invites applications on particular topics. This role is well advertised throughout the health care and academic community.

Modern Apprenticeships

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many modern apprenticeships were (a) started and (b) completed in each of the last five years; what its targets for completion of such apprenticeships were in those years, and what its targets are for the next three years.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has committed to increasing the number of Modern Apprenticeship places in Scotland to 30,000 by 2006 as outlined in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

  The detail on the number of apprentices starting and completing is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

NHS Boards

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given to NHS boards to ensure that they share service provision with neighbouring boards where appropriate.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Department issued guidance to NHS boards on regional planning in March 2002. The guidance included advice on joint planning and provision of services. A copy can be found at:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/mels/HDL2002_10.pdf

  Other recent guidance to the NHS has emphasised the importance of collaborative planning and provision of services for example, guidance dated September 2002 on establishing managed clinical networks (MCNs), which may offer services across more than one board area. The guidance on MCNs can be found at:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/mels/HDL2002_69.pdf

  In June 2003, the Executive published a draft bill, the NHS Reform (Scotland) Bill, which proposes that NHS boards should be given a new statutory duty to co-operate with each other, and with the special health boards, to secure and advance the health of the people of Scotland.

Planning

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the City of Edinburgh Council and Midlothian Council will be required to prove that all other options, such as the redevelopment of the existing ground and development opportunities within urban areas or on vacant, derelict or underused land, have been considered before granting approval for a football stadium in the green belt, as laid out in National Planning Policy Guideline 11, Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space .

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Planning decisions are required to be taken in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Scottish Executive planning policies contained in circulars, National Planning Policy Guidelines and Scottish planning policies may be such material considerations.

  Paragraph 73 of National Planning Policy Guideline 11, Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space, relates to a proposal for a stadium in the green belt. It notes that any proposal for such a stadium could be considered alongside any proposal for adjustment of green belt boundaries. Such boundaries should be altered only in exceptional circumstances after consideration of all other options, such as redevelopment of the existing ground, development opportunities within urban areas, or on vacant, derelict or underused land.

Planning

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have an up-to-date (a) structure plan and (b) local plan covering their full area.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adopted local plans are more than five years old.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Information on the status of structure and local plans can be found on the development plan progress page on the Scottish Executive Planning home page at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/planning/development_progress/view2.asp. This information is updated when any progress is made.

Planning

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that all local authorities have an up-to-date local plan.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: In June 2002 the Executive published its report Review of Strategic Planning: Conclusions and Next steps. The report is available in the Parliaments Reference Centre. The intention is to replace the two-tier system of development planning with local development plans for all areas and new City Region Plans in the four main cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee.

  As part of a package of initiatives to improve development planning, a pilot development plans project is under way with Highland Council and South Lanarkshire Council examining the barriers to, and opportunities for, moving to the new system of local development plans. The aim is for the plans to be prepared more quickly and for these to be shorter, more concise documents with a focus on delivery. It is intended to set out the detailed proposals for modernising development planning for consultation towards the end of 2003.

  Additionally, a programme of audits of local authorities development plans by the Scottish Executive Planning Audit Unit is continuing. These audits involve work with local authorities to identify best practice and assist them improve their performance in preparing local plans.

Planning

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how individuals and communities can become involved in the planning process if no local plan exists.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Including plans which have started and are at various stages of preparation there is local plan coverage across the whole of Scotland.

Planning

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how long it takes to prepare a local plan from start to adoption in each local authority.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Information is only available on the time taken to prepare local plans started after local government reorganisation in April 1996. Plans have taken between 32 and 84 months.

Rail Network

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it will give regarding the proposed programme of expenditure for upgrading trains and platforms on the Fife Circle rail line and its commitment in A Partnership for a Better Scotland that its spending on transport will reach 1 billion per year by the end of 2006, of which 70% will be targeted on public transport, in light of the Strategic Rail Authoritys recent announcement on group one and group two categorisation for rail services.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is funding the procurement of 22 new trains, which will, amongst other things, improve services within the Fife Circle. We are also working in partnership with the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) on the platform lengthening projects to accommodate longer trains and are providing a significant contribution to these projects.

  As regards expenditure on transport, I would refer the member to the answer given to question S2O-227 on 19 June 2002, which is available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/sch/search. This details spending on public transport over the next three years.

  With regard to SRA's recent announcement, we are in regular contact with SRA on a wide range of issues including their proposals on their network output specification.

Rail Network

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will legislate to provide rights of way across level crossings.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has no plans to legislate to provide rights of way across level crossings.

  The Executive is committed to encouraging responsible access to the countryside. This is the reason for the legislation which establishes rights of responsible access in Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. The act provides a balance between the responsible exercise of access rights and restrictions to facilitate public safety. Railways are, therefore, excluded from access rights. This does not mean that the public cannot cross rail track with the permission of Network Rail, where safety considerations allow.

Rail Network

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding its plans to close access to level crossings.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Network Rail on a wide range of issues including the closure of level crossings in Scotland.

Renewable Energy

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated minimum production is per kilowatt of electricity of the installed capacity of devices designed to harness (a) wind, (b) wave, (c) tidal and (d) solar energy.

Lewis Macdonald: The minimum production of all power generation technologies (conventional or renewable) is zero, in circumstances where there is no fuel or resource available.

Renewable Energy

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated production is per kilowatt of electricity of the installed capacity of devices designed to harness wind, wave, tidal and solar energy in a period of dead calm, at the moment when the tide turns, during the hours of darkness.

Lewis Macdonald: Renewable energy is dependent on the renewable resource, therefore, if there is no resource, no power will be output. However, since Scotland is noted as having the greatest wind and wave resource in western Europe, it is highly probable that a calm period in one area of the country will be offset by wind/wave activity elsewhere. Tidal energy is a predictable resource and although there would be a brief period of no power output when the tide turns, this could be offset by other devices at different locations. Solar power is designed and operated with the onset of darkness taken into consideration. Our renewables strategy calls for a mix of renewable technologies.

Renewable Energy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how consultation will take place with local communities in respect of offshore wind farms.

Lewis Macdonald: It is a requirement on developers applying to the Scottish ministers for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 that they place advertisements in the local and national press describing the proposal, its location and to whom representations should be made. This requirement extends to those offshore developments within territorial waters, in which case the locality would be considered to be the landward areas likely to be directly affected by the development.

Roads

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the planned safety measures at the North Kessock junction on the A9 will be in place and how much these measures will cost.

Nicol Stephen: The planned safety measures for the A9 North Kessock junction will be in place by the end of this month, except for two of the four vehicle activated signs, which will be in place by the end of November 2003. The estimated cost of the work is 80,000.

Rural Affairs

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total number of employees is in each of its rural affairs department offices; where these are located, and how many clients each has on its register.

Ross Finnie: The current number of permanent employees in each area office is set out in column 1 of the table.

  The best estimate of the number of clients for each office is detailed in column two of the table. This information has been obtained from the most complete database of clients we have, which is of those claiming subsidies covered by the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS). This is probably an underestimate of client numbers since we have some farming clients who do not claim subsidy and some other customers who are not farmers or crofters.

  


Office 
  

Permanent Staff in Post 
  

Number of IACS Businesses 
  



Lerwick 
  

14 
  

1,163 
  



Kirkwall 
  

15.5 
  

844 
  



Thurso 
  

15 
  

860 
  



Lairg 
  

4.5 
  

533 
  



Oban 
  

25.5 
  

1,034 
  



Benbecula 
  

11 
  

783 
  



Stornoway 
  

11 
  

1,372 
  



Inverness 
  

41 
  

1,569 
  



Portree 
  

9.5 
  

622 
  



Inverurie 
  

65 
  

3,120 
  



Elgin 
  

9 
  

653 
  



Perth 
  

72 
  

2,989 
  



Galashiels 
  

33 
  

1,742 
  



Ayr 
  

48 
  

2,094 
  



Hamilton 
  

16 
  

917 
  



Dumfries 
  

34 
  

1,555 
  



Totals 
  

424 
  

21,850

Schools

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average capacity will be for new schools being built under PPP.

Peter Peacock: These are matters for local authorities. The Scottish Executive does not collect comprehensive or systematic information on school capacities.

Schools

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether plans for new schools being built under PPP will accommodate any future reduction in class sizes.

Peter Peacock: The detailed specification for new schools, whether procured under PPP or by other means, is a matter for the local authorities concerned. They need to take a range of factors, including class sizes, into account in such specifications. The Scottish Executive recently published guidance under the School Estate Strategy entitled the The 21st Century School which highlights some of these factors. A copy can be found on the Scottish Executive website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/se21-00asp.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) target and (b) actual turnaround time was from receipt of examination papers by the Scottish Qualifications Authority to notification of results to candidates for (i) summer 2003 and (ii) each of the last five years.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the target turnaround time is from receipt of examination papers by the Scottish Qualifications Authority to notification of results to candidates for (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006.

Peter Peacock: The operation of the examination system and the issuing of examination results are matters for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

  However, for each of the last three years, performance measures relating to the issuing of results have been agreed between the SQA and the Executive. These have previously been made available to Parliament and I am pleased to confirm that on each occasion, the SQA has ensured the successful delivery of results on the date specified.

  The agreement of performance measures for 2003 was announced in response to question S1W-34922 and copies of the measures were lodged with the Parliaments Reference Centre (Bib. number 27140). All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Performance measures for 2004 and beyond will be agreed in due course.

Student Finance

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government and the Student Loan Company regarding the income threshold at which graduates start to repay their student loans.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including the repayment threshold for student loans.

Student Finance

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussion with Her Majesty's Government in respect of increasing the threshold at which graduates start to repay their student loans and, if so, whether it will disclose the content of such discussions.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK government on a wide range of issues including the repayment threshold for student loans.

Vaccines

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information has been given to parents of children receiving the DTaP-Hib vaccination regarding its effectiveness compared to the DTwP-Hib vaccination.

Malcolm Chisholm: An NHS Health Scotland information leaflet is available to parents, who can also discuss any detailed questions with local health professionals. A Hib factsheet has been issued to NHSScotland health professionals to inform and facilitate any such discussion.

  These information materials are also available on the NHS Health Scotland website at www.hebs.com

Vaccines

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is now being given to parents whose children are being recalled for additional vaccinations to provide protection against haemophilus influenza.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2145 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliaments website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Voluntary Sector

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answer to question S2W-538 by Ms Margaret Curran on 17 June 2003, whether it has now reached a decision on the provision of a futurebuilders programme.

Ms Margaret Curran: This issue is still under consideration.